Tigers radio voice Dan Dickerson on WBBL: Will Rhymes deserved to win second base job

AP PhotoNew York Mets' Angel Pagan, bottom, is forced out by Tigers' Will Rhymes, on a grounder by New York Mets' David Wright, not pictured, in the first inning on Tuesday in Lakeland, Fla.

No offense, Scott Sizemore, but Tigers play-by-play announcer Dan Dickerson is pleased Will Rhymes won the Tigers’ second base job.

Manager Jim Leyland tabbed Rhymes as the winner of the club’s spring training second base battle on Tuesday after optioning Sizemore to Triple-A Toledo.

“I was very glad to see that he won it,” Dickerson told WBBL-FM. "It’s very deserving and I think it’s a great fit in that lineup."

Despite Rhymes’ impressive second-half finish last year, Dickerson said he believed Sizemore was considered the frontrunner with less than two weeks remaining before Opening Day.

“My gut feeling was that Sizemore had the edge, even though I really thought Rhymes kind of deserved it,” Dickerson said.

Leyland did not say whether Rhymes, 28, would start the regular-season opener on March 31 in New York, only tabbing him as the regular second baseman.

“It goes back to what Jim Leyland has always said about evaluating players in the spring,” Dickerson said. “You have to take the whole body of work into consideration, which means last year, as well as spring this year.”

Sizemore hit .224 in 48 games for Detroit and .298 in 76 games for Toledo last season and was considered an early favorite to fill in for Carlos Guillen, who is expected to open the season on the disabled list. Rhymes, who will likely hit second in the lineup, was batting .289 this spring prior to Tuesday's exhibition game.

“The way he finished last year made a big impression,” Dickerson said.

Rhymes made 213 plate appearances last season with 141 at-bats in the No. 2 spot. He hit .304 over the final few months of last season, including .338 in August.

Leyland indicated Rhymes could receive starts at second against some
lefties, but is expected to see the majority of his at-bats against
righties.

“He’s just about an ideal No. 2 hitter,” Dickerson said. “He’s going to make contact, he can lay the bunt down – he can run a little bit, too.”